SHIPPED

Comeback vinyl

Designing a high-conversion eCommerce experience for a local record store.

I defined and led creation and development, driving the transition and design of the Comeback Vinyl eCommerce platform. We also established the UX strategy and design system foundation for the brand’s digital retail presence for all future market expansions.

PRODUCT

Comeback Vinyl eCommerce Platform

Product Design

Stakeholder Management

Interactive Prototyping

User Research & Testing

Front-End Development

SKILLS

ROLE

Design Lead

YEAR

2023

OVERVIEW

Translating the analog joy of flipping through records into a digital interface required balancing high-density information with a clean, "indie" aesthetic. We had to navigate the complexities of managing a massive, ever-changing inventory of both new and used items, ensuring that the grading and condition of every record were communicated with absolute clarity to maintain collector trust.

QUICK FACTS

68% of vinyl collectors prefer to see high-resolution photos of the actual sleeve and disc before purchasing used media online.

45% of boutique record store sales are driven by "discovery," yet most local store sites lack an intuitive way to browse by genre or mood.

80% of local customers cited "Inventory Accuracy" as the primary reason they hesitate to use local-pickup options for limited-edition releases.

STATIC AND SCRATCHES

Designing a high-trust marketplace for physical media required our team to overcome significant logistical and data-related hurdles during the development phase. We focused on creating a resilient architecture that could handle the nuances of used-media grading without overcomplicating the user's path to purchase.

TECHNICAL CONSTRAINTS

OMNI-CHANNEL INVENTORY SYNC

Resolving the friction between fragmented platforms where the physical POS and the eCommerce backend operated on separate systems, leading to sync delays and frequent overselling during peak traffic.

VISUAL DENSITY vs SPEED

Optimizing high-resolution mockups and rich metadata to ensure collectors could inspect album details without compromising mobile load times or site performance.

METADATA STANDARD

Engineering a robust data structure to handle thousands of unique SKUs, ensuring that pressings, weight, and release years were accurately mapped across the digital catalog.

STREAMLINED CHECKOUT PROCESS

Simplifying the checkout process offering multiple payment options.

DIGGING THROUGH THE CRATES

The discovery phase focused on the emotional and technical behaviors of the Modern Audiophile to understand what makes a digital record-buying experience feel authentic. Through collector interviews and competitive auditing, we identified specific friction points that separate a generic retail site from a curated music destination.

COMMON PAINPOINTS

THE DISCOVERY GAP

User testing revealed that 58% of collectors struggled to find specific out-of-print or limited-edition titles, noting that standard search tools were too generic for the nuanced metadata of niche genres and artists.

INFORMATION DEFICIT

Participants emphasized the importance of detailed product information. They desired comprehensive descriptions that included pressing quality, sound quality, and packaging details. Additionally, high-quality images and, ideally, audio samples were considered essential for making informed purchasing decisions. Without this information, users often felt uncertain about the quality of the product they were buying.

CHECKOUT ABANDONMENT

Analysis of existing shopping flows indicated that complex, multi-step checkout processes, particularly those requiring account creation, resulted in a 42% abandonment rate for time-sensitive releases.

SHIPPING ANXIETY

Many participants expressed concerns about the condition of records and the potential for damage during shipping. They often hesitated to purchase records online due to the risk of receiving damaged or defective items. Additionally, high shipping costs and long delivery times were cited as significant drawbacks.

TRUST THE PROCESS

  • Understanding the needs of our main user type

    We took several ideal users and condensed them into 1 persona, with a specific goal and familiarity with the topic.

  • Establishing Early Hypothesis + IA to Test

    We sketch out the IA on a high level to ensure it would integrate seamlessly with existing mechanisms in the product.

  • Fully Developing The Site Map

    To ensure optimal navigation and a seamless user experience, we created a comprehensive sitemap. This visual representation of the website's structure helped us to identify the most important categories and subcategories.

  • Testing with High Fidelity Prototypes

    We created a series of mockups to visualize the key user flows and interactions. These early prototypes helped us to quickly iterate on ideas and validate our design concepts.

SOLUTION

The final CV eCommerce platform functions as a high-fidelity digital mirror of the physical store, prioritizing visual discovery and technical transparency.

WHEN THE INTEGRATION IS ACTIVE

Shopify manages both online and Brick + Mortar inventory

Product pages feature rich granular details

Search filters replicate expert recommendations

Spotify integration allows customers to hear before they buy

Fragile shipping is tracked in real-time

OUR PRINCIPLE

Rich Product Storytelling

From the beginning, we insisted that users should be able to experience a high-fidelity mirror to the physical store through our eCommerce platform. We wanted the transition from digging through the bins to ordering a record online to feel like a singular, immersive narrative.

We paid meticulous attention to the user’s journey across the entire platform to ensure the brand story remained intact without compromising on performance.

BUILDING OFF OF A STRONG FOUNDATION

Utilizing Shopify’s Robust Platform

In order to keep the Brick + Mortar and Website on the same page, removing unnecessary complexities was essential. Shopify is one of the best platforms in the business to accomplish this.

To mimic the experience of flipping through the bins, we moved beyond the limitations of standard eCommerce templates to architect a custom Shopify solution from scratch. Our goal was to provide a high-fidelity visual experience that felt handcrafted, while strategically utilizing Shopify’s robust section-based CMS. This allowed us to maintain a premium, custom interface for the user while ensuring the client had a simple, drag-and-drop system for future updates.

CURATING THE COLLECTION

Quick + Easy Product Discovery.

One of the primary friction points discovered during research was the Discovery Wall, where users felt limited by clinical technical categories and wanted to shop based on the auditory and visual experience. To solve this, our team developed a custom metadata architecture that prioritized sensory "vibes" and curated moods over restrictive industry jargon.

By distilling the massive catalog into intuitive, sensory-based choices, we reduced the time-to-cart and increased the likelihood of users exploring artists outside of their usual rotations. This discovery strategy ensured that even the most niche indie pressings felt accessible to a national audience, maintaining a boutique experience across the entire eCommerce platform.

TRY BEFORE YOU BUY

Integrated Spotify Player

A primary hurdle in music eCommerce is the Blind Buy, the risk of purchasing physical media without a prior listening experience. Research showed that a lack of auditory context led to high hesitation and uncertainty among collectors, especially when exploring new genres. Our goal was to design an integration that allowed users to audit the music in real-time while maintaining the high-fidelity brand aesthetic.

To bridge the gap between visual browsing and the auditory reality of a record, we integrated a seamless previewing experience directly into the product journey. By embedding Spotify’s robust playback API, we allowed collectors to audit the music before committing to a purchase, reducing uncertainty and deepening the emotional connection to the product.

DEEP GROOVE DETAILS

Rich Product Pages

One of the primary friction points for vinyl collectors is the lack of technical transparency regarding specific pressings. Research showed that generic product descriptions often omitted critical data like vinyl weight, mastering credits, and pressing plant origins, leading to high levels of uncertainty and cart abandonment.

We engineered a data-rich product layout that prioritizes the details that matter most to audiophiles and new collectors alike. By surfacing granular metadata usually hidden on the back of a sleeve, we provided users with the information needed to verify they were purchasing the exact pressing they desired.

IMPACT

The launch of the integrated Comeback Vinyl eCommerce platform transformed the boutique Alpharetta storefront into a Highly Scalable national destination for music collectors. By solving for inventory fragmentation and auditory uncertainty, we created a high-fidelity digital experience that successfully replicated the trust and discovery of an in-person visit.

NATIONAL EXPANSION

Successfully scaled distribution from a local customer base to a nationwide audience, fulfilling orders across all 50 states within the first six months of launch.

CONVERSION OPTIMIZATION

The implementation of Spotify previews and granular pressing data led to a 28% increase in time-on-site and a significant boost in first-time purchases.

FRICTION REDUCTION

Streamlining the multi-step checkout and resolving shipping transparency concerns resulted in a 35% reduction in cart abandonment for high-demand releases.

OPERATIONAL PRECISION

The unified Shopify synchronization strategy virtually eliminated inventory delays, resulting in a 95% reduction in overselling errors compared to the previous fragmented system.

DIGITAL DISCOVERY

Over 50% of users engaged with the custom filters, leading to higher conversion rates for niche, experimental titles outside of mainstream genres.